2-17-2015
Three complaints were filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York on Tuesday seeking to end the practice of certain multi-channel networks the suit claims were exploiting music without authorization and without compensating copyright owners. The complaints allege that: Awesomeness; Big Frame; Maker Studios; and BroadbandTV Corp have exploited hundreds of copyrights owned and/or controlled by Freeplay Music.
BakerHostetler attorneys Oren Warshavsky and Tatiana Markel allege that the four MCNs were aware of the infringements yet refused to remedy their conduct. According to Warshavsky, "Freeplay Music was forced to bring these lawsuits in order to protect its rights, just as any other copyright owner in any other industry would do. The systemic misappropriation of its copyrights without authorization has harmed our client. And if this conduct continues unchecked, it will continue to harm Freeplay Music and the hundreds of composers it represents. We seek to right that wrong through this action."
The complaints all allege that, beginning in 2014, when YouTube required MCNs to take certain responsibility for videos on their managed channels, various MCNs failed to properly monitor music usage. Freeplay Music administers a catalogue of tens of thousands of songs, 15,000 of which are available for download on its website.
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